sed by the first _Audiencia_, which had preceded his
and the second _Audiencia's regime_. Bishops and priests took active
part in the affairs of Mexico from the beginning, and the first
_Audiencia_ had been involved in grave conflict with the clergy. One of
the main features of the period was the system of _repartmientos_ and
_encomiendas_ under which the Indians were portioned out as serfs to
the Spanish colonists. Exceeding brutality marked this system of
slavery; and at an early date it became necessary to abolish the
practice of branding the unfortunate serfs with hot irons, like cattle!
Thus began the system of cruelty and abuse of the natives under Spanish
rule--not from Spain, however, but by the colonists--whose counterpart
was enacted in the South American countries contemporaneously. It is to
the credit of Churchmen that they often took the part of the Indians;
and a venerated name to this day among the natives of Michoacan is that
of Quiroga, the first Bishop of that province, who penetrated there to
endeavour to counteract the effect of the marked abuses of Guzman,
president of the first _Audiencia_, who in 1527 burned to death their
chief, because he would not, or could not, give up his gold. Velasquez,
the second viceroy, succeeding Mendoza, also had grave questions with
the _Audiencia_. He also was an upright man, and his death was hastened
by these matters. Indeed, the _Audiencias_ were singularly unfortunate
in their proceedings, and their rule was almost always marked by a
mistaken policy exaggerated by acts of cruelty and oppression. During
the time of Velasco an expedition sent by him sailed from Mexico
westward, and took possession in 1564 of the Philippine Islands, which
were so named after the reigning King of Spain, Philip II.

Viceroy succeeded viceroy then in the history of Mexico, and tyranny
and benevolence followed each other alternately in the governing of the
people. Under the cruel Munoz, a member of the _Audiencia_, the son of
Cortes was tortured, and gaols were filled and blood was freely shed on
political and other charges. In 1571 another sinister event took
place--the establishing of the Inquisition. A few years later the
foundation of the Cathedral of Mexico was laid, the beautiful structure
which to-day dominates the capital. A matter which was early forced
upon the attention of the viceroys and city councils was the occurrence
of flooding of the city and attendant epidemics and dis